Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-12-02
The Profits III Beef Same In
teresting Facts and Figures.


We gather o number of facts anc
figures from the Stock Grocer oa
j the profits made in slaughterias and
/ selling beef tbs: will not fail 10 be o
special interest to all readers Of the
Plough man. as well as 10 all consum.
ers 1t states that steer weighing
1000 pounds can be bought in Kan
sas City for 50 so per hundred
pounds. A 1900 pound steer can be
bought for 81 cents per pound, OF
$42 per head The cost of buying
slaugbtering, refriyerating and ship
ping varies Of course with the
amount Of business done, but rUns
from fifty cents to 81 per head. This
calculation is based on sending of
nine car loads a day, at an expense
of 50 so per head; whereas twelve
cars will reduce /. to Sl.25 per head,
and fifteen cars to 81, and so on in a
diminishing ratio OF expense Beef
slaughtered 10 Kansas City can be de,
livered in New York for S2l0 per 90.
900 pounds, or 81 05 per lG0 pounds
Armour is allowed mileage for the
use of his own cars, bringing the
freight down for him to 20 cents per
100 pounds. And it costs at the rate
of one cent per pound, net weight, to
retail beef in the eastern markets
A good l,0G0-pound steer will
weigh, after being dressed and refrig.
Grated, ready for market, $50 pounds,
or 55 per cent. of the gross weight;
and steer of 1900 pounds weight
will dress Cos pounds or So per cent.
Of the live weight. The hide, head,
fat, blood, etc, are termed "the fifth
quarter" and find ready sale and a
market value at the slaughter-house
This fifth quarter of a 1000 pound
steer may be safely estimated to be
wotth So. and of l,2OO-pound steer
$40, The tongue, liver and heart
are shipped with the beef and sell
readily in the eastern markets. A
1000 pound steer that weighs $50
net, will bring all told $45.79; add
the fifth quarter SS. and the tongue,
liver aud heart, IS cents; and there
is a total of S54 50 received. The
same steer costs S25; the killing, re-
frigerating and shipping $l.50;
freight to New York seventy cents,
and cost of retailing $3.50; making a
total of $35.S5. And this leaves a
clear profit of Is So per head.
A steer weighing 1900 pounds
dresses 696 pounds net. Sold at re-
tell in the New York market it brings
to the forwarder $40 80; the fifth
quarter brings $40: the tongue, liver
and heart brings 50; making a total
of $3l 81 received. The same steer
costs $40; the killing, refrigerating
and shipping, 81 so; freight to New
York az seven cents, s4.s7; expense
of retailing, Sc 96; making total ex-
pense of 500 80, and leaving a clear
profit of $25 SO. A car load of beef,
minimum weight is 10000 pounds;
therefore a car load averaging $50
pounds net to the steer, represents
about forty beeves A car load of
forty beeves, at an average profit
$lS So to the steer sold in New York
will realize total net profit of
STAT 60; and car load of thirty
beeves weighing each 696 pounds net,
will realize total net profit of
S779.40.
Is it any such wonder, then, that
the cattle kings are the dealers in
dead beef instead of those who raise,
fatten and market them from the far
western ranches. 1t is notorious that
the raising of cattle on such an en-
ormously increased scale has brought
down the price in proportional figures
to the forwarders at Kansas City and
Chicago. Yet the consumers at the
east are compelled to pay not only the
same price for beef as before, but even
more than the former price at times.
And the packers stand between the
breeders and consumers, cutting it
fat from both sides and getting rich
and powerful at their expense. Mas
sachusetts Ploughman
Things Financiers Should be
Thankful for.
Financiers have good many
things to give thanks for. In the
first place. the country was never
more prosperous tEan it is now, Civ
ing, very profitable employment to
all the available money at the COM
mand of the banks. This prosperity
is not confined to few lines of busi-
ness, but is general and characterizes
nearly every section of the country.
They should give thanks also that
we have escaped anything serious in
the line of panics and revulsions, al.
though a number of Incidents have
occurred which, under ordinary cir
cumstances, would each have caused
something q good deal more serious
than mere temporary unsettling OF
confidence and curtailment Of credits.
These affairs were not due in any
sense to anything unfavorable in le-
gitimate business, but wholly to over.
speculation and attempts to corner
this, that or the other staple COM
modify. The list of failures among
the classes who attend strictly to
their own immediate business has
been comparativel ysmall ,andthe aggre
gate liabilities and consequent losses
to creditors smaller than in recent
years. Business generally is on
more solid basis financially than ever
before in the history of the country.
Money is abundant and cheap for
those of established credit. Oar
money was never more stable and
never more nearly equal to the COM
mercal aud industrial requirements
than at present. Our population and
wealth are increasing with wonderful
rapidity, and new sections are being
opened up and peopled at rate that
promises a profitable market for our
manufactures for many years to come.
Our agricultural interests as well as
our industries are increasingly pros
porous. These are by no means all
the reasons for thankfulness on the
part of the men who control the
finances of the country. but, like Mer-
cutio's wound will suffice.
-"You chokin' my fingers," CON-